Psycho-oncology
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The current study was designed to test the hypothesis that quality of death (QOD) and intrusive and deliberate rumination are associated with posttraumatic growth (PTG) among bereaved family members of cancer patients in home palliative care. ⋯ Clinicians should provide high-quality end-of-life care with the goals of achieving a good death for terminally ill cancer patients and supporting the experience of PTG in bereaved family members after their loss.
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Research indicates that health personnel caring for seriously ill patients with dependent children aged 0 to 18 years often avoid discussing with them the challenges of being a family with a parent in treatment. Children of seriously ill patients risk serious trauma and emotional difficulty later in life and depend on adult support to minimize these consequences. Patients suffer anxiety about supporting their children during their illness. Because of their potentially pivotal role in supporting patients in enabling parent-child communication, we examined HP's structural and emotional barriers to communicating with patients about their children. ⋯ Our study indicates (1) the need to use templates and manual procedures to gather and process information about children in medical records; (2) the need for managerial backing for addressing children of seriously ill patients and time spent on it; and (3) the need for future HP training programmes to include how to implement procedures and how to address all barriers.
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National Health Insurance (NHI), launched in 1995 in Taiwan, lightens patient's financial burdens but its effect on the suicide risk in cancer patients is unclear. We aimed to investigate the impacts of the NHI on the suicide in newly diagnosed cancer patients. ⋯ A universal health coverage relieving both physical and psychological distress may account for the post-NHI reduction of immediate suicide risk in patients of newly diagnosed cancer.
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Although place of death has been recognized as a risk factor in caregivers' bereavement adjustment, the estimation of the effect of the place of death needs careful consideration about many potential cofounders. ⋯ The place where a cancer patient dies influences not only their quality of dying and death but also the mental health of their family caregivers. However, the absolute difference is not large after adjustment of multiple variables.
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Genetic testing of cancer predisposing genes will increasingly be needed in oncology clinics to target cancer treatment. This Delphi study aimed to identify areas of agreement and disagreement between genetics and oncology health professionals and service users about the key messages required by women with breast/ovarian cancer who undergo BRCA1/BRCA2 genetic testing and the optimal timing of communicating key messages. ⋯ There was a high level of agreement within and between the groups about the information requirements of women with breast/ovarian cancer about BRCA1/BRCA2. These key messages will be helpful in developing new approaches to the delivery of information as genetic testing becomes further integrated into mainstream oncology services.